Last Thursday in the New York Times’ Home section, there was an article that caught my attention. A young French couple were house-hunting in Paris in 2009. They spotted this 1,600-square-foot home in the 14th Arrondissement on the lower Left Bank and instantly fell in love.
They purchased the home from a costume designer and simply added “color and fantasy”. The living room’s wall of windows looks out onto the front garden.
The chaise below was a wedding gift and the cast-iron bookshelves behind it are from the early 1900′s.
This open mezzanine is connected to the living area by the spiral staircase. The bleached wood floor and stucco walls were unaltered.
The building was originally a haberdashery, and the kitchen cabinets are remnants from those days. The porthole near the ceiling was installed to allow ventilation.
The master bedroom opens to a terrace. A skylight spans the ceiling and is covered with retractable straw shades.
The article quoted them as saying “We were captivated. It had a crazy charm and a beauty that left us breathless”.
Me too.
Photo Credits: Andreas Meichsner for the New York Times
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
i was just reading this same article and then when i checked my email, i saw your blog post… i love it, so charming and love all the natural light.
It is a W O N D E R F U L house! I can imagine the couple was captivated!!
xx
Greet
What an incredible space! Love that they have kept most of the original structure the same, but added their own personal style to it.
love it…i like the creamy gray wood too….and that large mirror is wonderful…
OOH!! I love that huge mirror!
It looks like the perfect “couple” spot and then children would ruin it…I mean I love my kids, but there are those spaces that have that childless look…like that.
pve
wow. that’s about all I can manage. It’s wonderful. that kitchen. and that huge mirror….awesome.
Wow, how very warm and charming. Love it, Laura! xx
I also saw this fabulous article and had the same reaction you did – fabulous!! Just such an artful space – especially adore the staircase and the kitchen.
Laura, I missed this! So happy you highlighted this precious Paris apartment. Some people just have an eye and the vision to transform a space. Wonderful!
xo Elizabeth
Love the huge mirror ane the sconce mounted over the door frame. That’s what I love about the French: they set their own trends. Who else hangs a lovely sconce up high like that?
Happy almost weekend!
Linsey
Laura –
Love the kitchen cabinets and the garden! How great is that staircase, too?
When can I move in?